Systems and methods for providing blackout recording and summary information

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for providing blackout support in video mosaic and television environments are disclosed. In response to receiving a request for a video mosaic page, screen data or application data, which may include blackout information, is received. The blacked out content may be automatically recorded to the user equipment or a network server for later playback after the blackout has expired. In addition, an overlay of options associated with the blacked out asset may be presented. The overlay may include options to substitute the blacked out asset with replacement content, search for similar content, retrieve more information about the blackout, or present summary information, such as a sports ticker, in place of the blacked out cell.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/044,233, filed Oct. 2, 2013 (now allowed) which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/796,416, filed Apr. 27, 2007, nowU.S. Pat. No. 8,578,416, issued Nov. 5, 2013, each of which are herebyincorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to media systems and, moreparticularly, to blackout features in media systems.

Generally speaking, a programming blackout occurs when a videodistribution facility does not make programming available for viewing toa subset of all possible viewers at the time it was scheduled to bedistributed. For example, a broadcaster may be prohibited frombroadcasting a sporting event if the broadcaster's signal reaches anyarea within a certain radius of the sports venue where the event isbeing played. The distribution facility may deliver replacement media(or no media at all) on the blacked out channel during the blackoutperiod.

Three illustrative types of programming blackouts are bandwidthblackouts, affiliate protection blackouts, and venue protectionblackouts. Bandwidth blackouts may occur when a program has larger thantypical bandwidth requirements. For example, a sports program mayrequire more bandwidth than a non-sports program due to its fast-actionnature. When a sports program is broadcast, bandwidth may be borrowedfrom another channel in order to satisfy the increased bandwidthrequirement of the sports program. Borrowing bandwidth from a channelmay prevent the broadcast of a regularly scheduled program on thatchannel. Thus, a blackout of that regularly scheduled program occurs.

Affiliate protection blackouts may occur when the same program isscheduled to be broadcast on two separate channels, such as a localnetwork affiliate and a national channel. In an attempt to protect theinterests of the local network affiliate, the television serviceprovider may blackout the commonly scheduled program on the nationalchannel in the locality of the local network affiliate.

Venue protection blackouts may occur, for example, when the provider ofa live event wants to protect the venue of the live event by preventingthe event from being televised nearby. For example, when a sportingevent, or other live event, is not sold out, the sports team or leaguemay prohibit the broadcast of the event to any television viewer withina given distance from the sporting venue in an attempt to increaseticket sales and attendance for the event and for future events. Thus, aprogramming blackout may occur on the channel scheduled to broadcast theevent in those locations.

There have been several solutions proposed for supporting programmingblackouts. For a description of one such system for providing blackoutfeatures in interactive television program guides, see U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/996,346, filed Nov. 28, 2001. However, due tothe ever-increasing number of channels and services available in today'smedia guidance systems, user interfaces continue to evolve. For example,today video mosaic screens may present multiple video sources to a userin a single interactive application page. Such video mosaics enableusers to access multiple services and/or assets from video-rich menuscreens and displays.

Current blackout systems fail to adequately support video mosaicscreens. With some video mosaics, the video sources that make up themosaic may be remotely-generated. This means that the video sources arecomposited before reaching the user equipment and screen graphics, text,advertising, and other screen elements may be overlaid on the compositedsources to form an interactive mosaic screen at the user equipment. Oneor more of these video sources may include national feeds that should beblacked out on a subset of the user equipment. This arrangement mayresult in video cells in a video mosaic screen presenting video thatshould in fact be blacked out in some locations.

For example, a user may request a remotely-generated sports genre videomosaic that displays a collection of six live sporting events. Eachevent may be presented in its own video cell or window in a video mosaicpage. Two of the six sporting events may correspond to nationaltelevision feeds that are blacked out on the user equipment due to oneor more venue protection blackouts (e.g., the user is located withinsome geographic distance from the sporting event venue and the event isnot sold out) and another sporting event may be blacked out due to anaffiliate protection blackout (e.g., the event is also being broadcaston a local network channel). Current blackout systems are not capable ofblacking out individual elements within a remotely-generated videomosaic; therefore, events may be presented in violation of the blackout.This is highly undesirable, as service operators are typically undercontract not to broadcast blacked out content, yet the user stilldesires to have some content presented in place of the blacked outcontent and to be able to view the remainder of the video mosaic.

For locally-generated mosaics, blacked out content may be removed beforereaching the user equipment. For example, a cable headend may removeblacked out content from a transmission stream or cable signal so thatthis content cannot be viewed or accessed on the user equipment. This isundesirable for locally-generated mosaics because the user equipment maygenerate the mosaic screen with one or more missing cells (e.g., cellsdisplaying no content).

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/510,363, filed Aug. 24, 2006, whichis hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, describesone approach for blacking out individual cells of a video mosaic page.Although this system may replace one or more blacked out cells withreplacement media content similar to the blacked out content, it wouldbe desirable to also allow a user to subsequently access blacked outcontent should the blackout condition be lifted.

It would also be desirable to provide more flexible blackout support forall types of video mosaic screens, both locally-generated andremotely-generated. For example, it would be desirable to providesummary information about the blacked out content or content similar tothe blacked out content to the user during the programming blackout.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a videomosaic client is implemented on a user's equipment. The video mosaicclient supports the individual control of objects and screen elements ina video mosaic display.

In response to receiving a request for a video mosaic page, the videomosaic client may receive and process blackout information in screendata associated with the video mosaic page, if screen data is availablefor the mosaic page. The screen data may be sent in-band along with oneor more video streams or out-of-band. After the screen data is parsed,the video mosaic client may analyze the received blackout informationand determine if any objects in the video mosaic page are, or should be,blacked out.

If screen data is not available for the requested video mosaic page(e.g., the mosaic page is not remotely-generated), the video mosaicclient may identify the content of each cell through media guidanceapplication data or metadata tags associated with each mosaic cell. Theapplication data or metadata tags may identify the source (e.g., bysource or channel identifier), title, or any other suitable attribute ofthe content that is to be displayed in the mosaic cell. If screen datais available for some of the cells of the mosaic page and not others, ahybrid approach may be used whereby the mosaic client analyzes screendata for the cells with associated screen data and application data ormetadata tags for the cells without associated screen data.

As described in more detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/510,363, the screen data may define one or more blackout flags. Fromthe blackout flags, the video mosaic client may determine which cells inthe mosaic page should be blacked out. Since the screen data may betime-synchronized (e.g., a real-time data stream), the video mosaicclient may parse blackout flag structures as new flags are received.When the blackout condition is lifted, the previously blacked outcontent may then be displayed.

The video mosaic client may also access a set of blackout rules todetermine if any of the cells in the mosaic display should be blackedout. In some embodiments, the mosaic client uses blackout rules whenscreen data is not available for a cell in the mosaic page. For example,locally-generated mosaics may not have associated screen data. Asdescribed in more detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/647,787,filed Dec. 28, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein inits entirety, video mosaic pages may combine local content (e.g.,content recorded to a local storage device or DVR) with broadcast,multicast, switched digital video, and on-demand assets in a singlemosaic display. In such cases, the mosaic client may identify theindividual mosaic elements through metadata, application data, screendata, or any combination of the aforementioned types of data.

The mosaic client may then access a set of blackout rules. The blackoutrules may be stored on the local user equipment and updated periodicallyfrom a network location. Alternatively, the blackout rules may beaccessed from a third-party server whenever a mosaic screen is accessed.After the cells of the mosaic page are identified, the mosaic client maycompare identifying information related to the mosaic cells to theblackout rules to determine if any content in the mosaic screen shouldbe blacked out. Blackout rules may be time-based, location-based, orboth time-based and location-based.

For example, the blackout rules may contain locality information, suchas blackout zip codes, cities, states, geographic coordinates, or anyother suitable information from which a location may be derived. Thisinformation may be compared to locality information present on the userequipment to determine if the content should be blacked out. Forexample, a local variable could be defined on the user equipment thatidentifies the current location of the user equipment. As the userequipment changes location, the local variable may be automaticallyupdated by the video mosaic client to reflect the change in location.

If the video mosaic client determines that an element in a video mosaicpage is, or should be, blacked out, the video mosaic client may mask thelocation of the blacked out object in the mosaic page and record thecontent for playback after the blackout condition is lifted. If thecontent is already available from a remote location (e.g., from anon-demand service or network media server), the mosaic client may notrecord the content locally, but rather store a pointer to the remotelystored content. After the mosaic client determines that the blackout islifted (e.g., through the screen data or blackout rules), the mosaicclient may display a notification to the user of the blackout expirationand/or the availability of recorded, previously blacked out content. Theuser may then access the previously blacked out content.

If the blacked out content is not actually transmitted to the userequipment (e.g., the content is blacked out and removed from thetransmission at a cable headend), the video mosaic client mayautomatically send a request to a remote video server to deliver theblacked out content when the blackout has terminated. Alternatively, therequest to deliver the blacked out content may be sent prior to theconclusion of the blackout, or the request may be timed so that theblacked out content will be available locally for viewing as soon as theblackout condition is lifted. Access restrictions may be enforced on theblacked out content until the blackout expires. In some embodiments, theblacked out content may not be recorded locally, but accessed via anon-demand service after the blackout condition has expired.

In some embodiments, the mosaic client may additionally or alternativelyprovide summary information, such as a sports ticker, relating to theblacked out content in the location of a blacked out cell. In someembodiments, the summary information is provided within the screen datafor the blacked out cell. Since the screen data may be continuouslyrefreshed, the summary information may provide, for example, up-to-datescore, highlight, and/or play information relating to the blacked outcontent. Alternatively, after determining that a video cell in a mosaicpage is blacked out, the mosaic client may access a supplemental datafeed (e.g., XML feed) and present this feed in the location of theblacked out cell. The network address of the supplemental field may bestored in screen data, a metadata tag, or application data associatedwith the mosaic display. Accessing a supplemental data feed may beadvantageous when screen data is not available for a given mosaic cell,or when the summary information requires a large amount of bandwidth (orwill not fit within the screen data or blackout flag fields).

The summary information may be related to the blacked out content or thegenre of the blacked out content. For example, a sports ticker withcurrent score information of the blacked out event may be displayed inthe blacked out cell. Alternatively, a sports ticker may be displayedshowing all the scores of all games within the same sport, league, ortournament as the blacked out content. The sports ticker may flash orscroll scores from different games at a predetermined rate (e.g., 5seconds), or the user may select the ticker speed. In some embodiments,the ticker is interactive and the user controls the display by pressingarrow keys on a remote control. In addition to displaying sportsinformation, the summary information may include news and/or sportsheadlines, stock quotes, Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds, or anyother information accessed from a suitable content or data source.

In response to the user selection of a blacked out video cell, a usermay be presented with an overlay or menu of blackout options. Theseoptions may include replacing the blacked out object with replacementcontent, searching for content similar to the blacked out content thatis accessible by the user equipment, or obtaining more information aboutthe blacked out content, for example, through the summary informationdescribed above. Another option that may be presented to the user in theoverlay or menu of blackout options is to record the blacked out contentto a local recording device, such as a digital video recorder, or aremote location, such as an on-demand server, and allow playback of theblacked out content after the blackout conditions have expired.

For example, a venue protection blackout may prohibit the telecast of alive sporting event within a certain number of miles from the sportingvenue. The blackout may expire at the conclusion of the event or after apredetermined length of time (the blackout window). By recording theblacked out event locally to the user's equipment or to a remotelocation, the user may access the blacked out content as soon as theblackout expires. In some embodiments, an icon or other notification ispresented to the user when a blackout expires and there is recordedcontent available. A remote notification, such as a wireless message,page, SMS message, or telephone call may also be transmitted to a userwho is remote from the user equipment, informing the user of theexpiration of the blackout and/or the availability of recorded content.The user may then access the previously blacked out content from amobile user equipment device, such as a PDA, mobile computer, orcellular telephone.

Some programming blackouts may only prohibit the live transmission ofblacked out content, such as the live transmission of a sporting event.Depending on the details of the blackout, in some embodiments, blackedout content may be time-shifted (i.e., delayed) by a suitable length oftime (e.g., 5 minutes). After the time shifting, the content may then bepresented in its cell with the other video assets in the video mosaicpage. In some embodiments, the time shifting process may create a bufferon the user equipment that buffers the blacked out content for asuitable length of time. Access to the blacked out content before thetime-shifting process is complete may be restricted until thetime-shifting is in compliance with the terms of the blackout. Otherblackouts may specify a blackout window (e.g., the length of the game).For these types of blackouts, access controls may be enforced so thatthe user may not access the content during the blackout window. Afterthe blackout window expires, the user may access the previously blackedout content.

In some embodiments, the aforementioned summary information (e.g., asports ticker) may be provided for blacked out programming that isdisplayed in screens other than mosaic screens. For example, a sportsticker with detailed game summary information may be displayed when auser attempts to access a blacked out sporting event that is availableon a television channel. The summary information may be displayed infull-screen along with real-time play-by-play text or audio commentary,if such content is not in violation of the blackout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features of the present invention, its nature andvarious advantages will be more apparent upon consideration of thefollowing detailed description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a diagram of an illustrative interactive media system inaccordance with one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1B is a diagram of another illustrative interactive media system inaccordance with one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an illustrative display screen showing a video mosaic page inaccordance with one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an illustrative display screen showing a video mosaic homepagewith user navigation buttons in accordance with one embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 4 is an illustrative generic display screen showing a number ofvideo windows, or cells, in accordance with one embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 5 is an illustrative display screen showing a blacked out maskedcell and a blacked out cell showing replacement media in accordance withone embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is an illustrative display screen with the blacked out cells ofFIG. 5 removed from the mosaic page in accordance with one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 7 is an illustrative display screen showing the user selection of ablacked out cell in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 is an illustrative display screen showing a blacked out overlaywith options for a blacked out video cell in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an illustrative display screen showing a summary informationcell in place of a blacked out cell in accordance with one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 10 is an illustrative display screen showing a blackout expirationnotification in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is an illustrative display screen showing video mosaic blackoutoptions in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is an illustrative display screen showing full-screen summaryinformation that is displayed to a user in response to accessing achannel showing blacked out content; and

FIGS. 13-16 show illustrative processes for supporting blackoutfunctionality in video mosaic pages in accordance with one embodiment ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The systems and methods described herein are directed toward providingenhanced blackout functionality in video mosaic screens. Although thedescribed embodiments may refer to Video-Rich Navigation (VRN) screens,displays, and/or pages, the present invention may be used with anyremotely-generated or locally-generated video mosaic screens. Inaddition, although the windows or cells of the mosaic pages aredescribed herein as being populated with analog or digital video frombroadcast television channels, the windows or cells of the mosaic pagesmay be populated with any suitable video assets or media content. Thesevideo assets may include live broadcast programs, video on-demand (VOD)assets, pay-per-view (PPV) assets, recorded assets (e.g., from a digitalvideo recorder, or DVR), locally stored assets, advertising, websites,previews, Webcasts, interactive games and applications, or any othersuitable content. The cells may contain full-motion video, audio, stillimages, text, icons, logos, or any combination of these (or any othersuitable) elements.

FIG. 1A shows illustrative media system 100 for providing blackoutsupport in a VRN environment in accordance with one embodiment of theinvention. Central facility 10 may include content source 12, VRN screendata source 14, and distribution equipment 16. Content source 12 mayinclude any equipment suitable for producing or generating VRN screens.The video content from content source 12 may be in analog or digitalform. In other embodiments, content source 12 may be in a facility otherthan central facility 10, and may also provide content for distributionas regular television channels (e.g., broadcast programming, VODcontent, etc.).

VRN screen data source 14 may be any equipment suitable for generatingVRN screen data. For example, VRN screen data source 14 may be apersonal-computer (PC) based system or a workstation. User interface 18may be any suitable interface, such as a Windows-based or Unix-basedgraphic user interface (GUI), which allows, for example, an operator todefine VRN definitional files and synchronize the VRN screen data of thedefinitional files with content from content source 12. The userinterface may allow an operator to, for example, specify transitionsbetween distinct configuration specifications for selectable items insynchronization with video content. The user interface may also allow anoperator to define control data which controls, inter alia, theappearance, functionality, and interactivity of the screen elements, aswell as the content or asset displayed in a screen element.

The screen data may also include blackout information. The blackoutinformation may be inserted into the screen data by central facility 10(e.g., the blackout information may be generated by VRN screen datasource 14) or distribution facility 21. The blackout information may beentered by an operator, may be generated automatically from anothersystem (such as an access-and-control system), or may be generated inany other suitable manner or combination thereof. The blackoutinformation may include, for example, one or more blackout sourceidentifiers, blackout multicast addresses (MCAs), blackout controlleridentifiers, channel map identifiers, cable plant identifiers, or anyother suitable information. As described in more detail in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/510,363, the screen data may define one or moreblackout flag structures for use in determining what mosaic screenelements should be blacked out on user equipment 30. The blackoutinformation may also include locality information, such as a set of zipcodes where the object associated with the screen data should not bepresented. Compiler 20, which may include any suitable combination ofhardware and software, compiles or translates the VRN screen data of thedefinitional files into another format, such as binary, XML, or HTMLformat. In some embodiments, input from user interface 18 may be used todirectly generate the screen data without need for compiler 20.

Blackout information may also include blackout time definitions. Thesedefinitions may specify, for example, that a particular blackout is ineffect between 3:00 PM EDT and 6:00 PM EDT. As another example, ablackout may be linked to a specific event in a television program guidedatabase, with its activation time equal to the start time of the eventand its deactivation time equal to the end time of the event. In someembodiments, the blackout time definitions may be included with the VRNscreen data. In other embodiments, the blackout time definitions may beused to determine when to include blackout information in the VRN screendata.

Distribution equipment 16 may be any suitable equipment for distributingVRN screens from content source 12 and VRN screen data from VRN screendata source 14 over communications path 19 to distribution facility 21,and further over communication path 28 for distribution to userequipment 30. Central facility 10 may distribute the screens and screendata to multiple distribution facilities 20, but only one has been shownto avoid over-complicating the drawing. In other embodiments, centralfacility 10 may distribute the VRN screens and screen data to users atuser equipment 30 directly. Distribution equipment 16 may distribute theVRN screens and VRN screen data in any suitable analog or digital formatand over any suitable communications path (e.g., satellite orterrestrial broadcast, the Internet, etc.). VRN screen data and blackoutinformation may be distributed in-band or out-of-band from the VRNscreens.

Distribution facility 21 may be any facility (e.g., a cable headend)suitable for receiving the VRN screens and screen data and distributingthe screens and screen data to user equipment 30. There may be multipleusers at multiple instances of user equipment 30, but only one instanceof user equipment has been shown to avoid over-complicating the drawing.Distribution facility 21 may include local insertion equipment 22 andcontent source 24 for allowing a local operator to insert content anddata into the VRN screens or VRN screen data, respectively, and compileVRN screen data into binary format for transmission (if required). Localinsertion equipment 22 may run, for example, a local version of userinterface 18 and compiler 20.

Distribution facility 21 may also access summary content information anddata feeds, such as real-time sports information feeds, sportshighlights video, and any other summary information. This summaryinformation may be accessed from central facility 10 or a third-partycontent provider or content aggregator. Summary information may also beaccessed via the Internet (e.g., through a Really Simple Syndication(RSS) or other web-based feed or stream) in some embodiments. Thesummary information may be inserted into the screen data by a localoperator using local insertion equipment 22, or the summary informationmay be automatically inserted into the screen data at central facility10. For example, summary information relating to a sporting event may beadded to the screen data and associated with the mosaic cell displayingthat sporting event. In the event that the cell is blacked out on theuser equipment, the video mosaic client may substitute the summaryinformation for the sporting event in the cell, as described in moredetail below. In some embodiments, the summary information may be sentseparately from the VRN screen data. Distribution facility 21 may alsoinclude a remote recording server for recording blacked out programs andmaking them available at a later time to user equipment 30. This remoterecording server may include tuning equipment for accessing theprogramming, memory (such as a hard disk) for storing the programming,and video-on-demand server equipment for making the programmingavailable to user equipment 30. Remote recording equipment may also beincluded other locations in the system, such as at central facility 10.

Distribution equipment 26 may distribute the VRN screens and VRN screendata in any suitable analog or digital format and over any suitablecommunications path to user equipment 30 (e.g., broadcast, cable, or theInternet. The communication paths 19, 49, and 28 may include, forexample, a satellite path, a fiber-optic path, a cable path, an Internetpath, or any other suitable wired or wireless path. For example, VRNscreens may be provided as MPEG-2 feeds. Distribution equipment 26 mayprovide the VRN screens (and the VRN screen data) as tunable analog ordigital channels, or as VOD streams (both of which are referred toherein as VRN channels). The VRN channels provide the users of userequipment 30 with a set of interactive features that make up a VRNapplication.

In some embodiments, distribution facility 21 may provide the VRNchannel full-time over a given analog or digital channel. Alternatively,distribution facility 21 may provide VRN channels on-demand or duringspecific time intervals.

Distribution facility 21 may provide one or more VRN applications touser equipment 30. A VRN application may include a set of VRN screens,buttons, and associated functionality. For example, FIG. 4, described inmore detail below, shows a homepage display screen associated with anillustrative VRN application.

User equipment 30 may include any equipment suitable for providing aninteractive media experience and for implementing the VRN applicationsprovided by distribution facility 21. User equipment 30 may includetelevision equipment such as a television, set-top box, recordingdevice, video player, user input device (e.g., remote control, keyboard,mouse, touch pad, touch screen, or voice recognition interface), or anyother device suitable for providing an interactive multimediaexperience. For example, user equipment 30 may include a DCT 2000, 2500,5100, 6208 or 6412 set-top box provided by Motorola, Inc. In someembodiments, user equipment 30 may include computer equipment, such as apersonal computer with a television card (PCTV). In some embodiments,user equipment 30 may include a gaming system, a portable electronicdevice, such as a portable DVD player, a portable gaming device, acellular telephone, a PDA, a music player (e.g., MP3 player), or anyother suitable portable or fixed device.

In the example of FIG. 1A, user equipment 30 includes at least controlcircuitry 32, display device 34, recording device 36, user input device38, and video mosaic client 31, which may be implemented as separatedevices or as a single device. Video mosaic client 31 may also beimplemented on user equipment 30 to receive, execute, and support VRNapplications.

Control circuitry 32 is adapted to receive user input from input device38 and execute the instructions of video mosaic client 31 and any otherinteractive applications running on user equipment 30. Control circuitry32 may include one or more tuners (e.g., analog or digital tuners),decoders (e.g., MPEG decoders), processors (e.g., Motorola 68000 familyprocessors), memory (i.e., RAM and hard disks), communications circuitry(e.g., cable modem circuitry), input/output circuitry (e.g., graphicscircuitry), connections to the various devices of user equipment 30, andany other suitable component for providing analog or digital mediaprogramming and interactive media features. In one embodiment, controlcircuitry 32 may be included as part of one of the devices of userequipment 30 such as, for example, part of recording device 36, displaydevice 34, or any other suitable device (e.g., a set-top box,television, video player, etc.).

Display device 34 may include any suitable device such as, for example,a television monitor, an LCD screen, a computer monitor, or a displayincorporated in user equipment 30 (e.g., a cellular telephone display ormusic player display). Display device 34 may also be configured toprovide for the output of audio and/or other sensory output (e.g., aholographic projector or virtual reality simulator).

Recording device 36 may be a personal video recorder (PVR), digitalvideo recorder (DVR), video cassette recorder (VCR), DVD-recorder, orany other suitable recording device. Recording device 36 may include oneor more tuners.

Video mosaic client 31 may be implemented on user equipment 30 as astand alone applications or part of another interactive application,such as an interactive media guidance application (IMGA) or interactiveprogram guide (IPG). One or more of the interactive applications mayreceive interactive application data from application data source 40. Asshown in FIG. 1A, the data may be received via distribution facility 21over communication path 49. Alternatively, the data may be received byuser equipment 30 from application data source 40 over a directcommunication path (not shown). Application data source 40 may also bepart of central facility 10 or distribution facility 21. In someembodiments, the interactive application data may include elements thatare referenced in the VRN screen data for inclusion in the VRNapplication such as graphics, logos, advertising, and the like. VRNtemplates, for example, may be provided as part of the interactivetelevision application data.

Homepages (and other VRN screens or pages) delivered to user equipment30 may include a number of interactive elements. Interactive elementsmay be highlighted and selected. If the user navigates to a specificinteractive element (e.g., by using the arrow keys on a remote controldevice), the interactive element may be visually highlighted in somefashion (e.g., a colored border may appear around the element). If theuser selects a highlighted interactive element (e.g., by pressing the“OK” button on a remote control device), the system may display aspecific tunable channel, VOD clip, VOD screen, or another interactiveapplication screen, based on selection behavior specified for theinteractive element in the VRN screen data.

Video mosaic client 31 provides enhanced blackout functionality for VRNscreens and pages. For example, video mosaic client 31 may parsereceived VRN screen data to determine if one or more objects in a VRN orvideo mosaic screen should be blacked out. In some embodiments, theblackout information in the screen data simply specifies the object orobjects in the video mosaic page that should be blacked out on the userequipment. In these embodiments, each user equipment may receivedifferent blackout information, depending on such factors as the userequipment's locality, channel map, or any other suitable information.Video mosaic client 31 may determine the location of the blacked outobject within the video mosaic page and take appropriate action toblackout the object. In other embodiments, the same blackout informationis delivered to all users requesting the same video mosaic page in theform of one or more blackout flag structures. Video mosaic client 31parses the received blackout flag structures to determine if any objectsin the video mosaic page should be blacked out.

When mosaic client 31 determines that a cell or screen element should beblacked out on the user equipment, for example, from the screen data orset of blackout rules, mosaic client 31 may perform one or more actions,depending on user and system preferences. For remotely-generatedmosaics, mosaic client 31 may mask the content that should be blackedout and replace it with summary content, such as a sports ticker. It mayalso record the content locally so that the blacked out content may beaccessed and displayed after the blackout condition has been lifted. Insome embodiments, a notification, such as the notification shown in FIG.10, may also be displayed to the user when the mosaic client determinesthat the blackout has expired and there is previously blacked outcontent available for viewing.

As described above, summary information, such as data for the sportsticker shown in FIG. 9, below, may be inserted into the screen data insome embodiments or otherwise provided to video mosaic client 31. Thesummary information may be inserted into the screen data as alternatecontent for the mosaic cell. Some cells may have multiple alternatecontent selections defined in the screen data. For example, onealternate content selection may be a sports ticker for the blacked outgame, one may be commentary video, and another may be a sport highlightsvideo.

In lieu of, or in addition to, providing the summary or alternatecontent in the screen data, in some embodiments, a link to theinformation may be provided in the screen data to save bandwidth. Forexample, the URL or network address for one or more supplemental datafeeds (e.g., RSS feeds) may be included in the screen data andassociated with a mosaic cell. After mosaic client 31 determines that acell is to be blacked out, mosaic client 31 may process the screen dataand access the supplemental feed or feeds referenced by the screen data.Mosaic client 31 may then mask the blacked out cells and display thefeeds in the position of the masked cells.

In the case of locally-generated mosaics (or partially locally-generatedmosaics), there may not be screen data available for the mosaic page (orthe entire mosaic page). If screen data is not available, mosaic client31 may access summary or alternate content within application datadelivered to user equipment 30 with the mosaic screen or page. Theapplication data may take the place of the screen data described above.The information itself may be inserted in to the application data, or alink to the information may be inserted.

In some embodiments, blacked out cells (even those replaced withalternate or summary content) are not selectable by the user. Forexample, video mosaic client 31 may prevent user selection of blackedout cells by moving the selection cursor to the next cell that is notblacked out. In other embodiments, users may select blacked out cells.Upon selecting a blacked out cell, video mosaic client 31 may displayvarious blackout options to the user. These options may allow a user tosubstitute replacement media in a blacked out cell or window, search foraccessible media similar to the blacked out media, purchase tickets,obtain more information, record the blacked out content for laterplayback, or any other suitable action. FIG. 8, described below, showsillustrative blackout options in accordance with one embodiment of theinvention.

Although, in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1A, video mosaic client31 is internal to user equipment 30, video mosaic client 31 may beimplemented externally or partially implemented externally to userequipment 30. For example, video mosaic client 31 may be implemented atcentral facility 10 or distribution facility 21 and may run using aclient-server or distributed architecture where some of the applicationis implemented locally on user equipment 30 in the form of a clientprocess and some of the application is implemented at a remote locationin the form of a server process. Video mosaic client 31 may also beimplemented completely on any suitable server, computer equipment, orset-top box accessible by user equipment 30.

FIG. 1B shows illustrative interactive media system 101 in accordancewith one embodiment of the invention. Interactive media system 101 maybe used to generate and display locally-generated mosaic screens, insome embodiments, while media system 100 (FIG. 1A) may be used togenerate and display remotely-generated mosaics. Although sometimesreference will be made herein specifically to components of media system100 (FIG. 1A) or media system 101 (FIG. 1B), in most cases either mediasystem (or a combination or both media systems) may be used. Forexample, the components and features of user equipment 30 (FIG. 1A) maybe exchanged with the components and features of user equipment 102. Asanother example, media system 100 (FIG. 1A) may also incorporate one ormore of data sources 142, content source 130, and third-party source 120without departing from the spirit of the invention.

User equipment 102 receives content in the form of signals from contentsource 130 and/or third-party source 120 over communications paths 150and 152. Any suitable number of users may have user equipment, such asuser equipment 102, coupled to content source 130, data sources 140, andthird-party source 120. For the clarity of the figure, however, the userequipment of only a single user is shown. In addition, although inpractice there may be numerous instances of content sources andthird-party sources, for clarity only content source 130 and third-partysource 120 are shown in FIG. 1.

Content source 130 may be any suitable content source such as, forexample, a cable system headend, satellite television distributionfacility, television broadcast facility, on-demand server (e.g.,video-on-demand (“VOD”) server). Internet or network media/web server,or any other suitable facility or system for originating or distributingpassive or interactive media content to user equipment 102. Mediacontent that may be provided by content source 130 to user equipment 102includes broadcast programs, broadcast series, VOD programs, music,news, interactive applications (e.g., interactive games), Internetresources and web services (e.g., websites, newsgroups, and chat rooms),and any other media content capable of being displayed by, presented to,recorded, or interacted with, using user equipment 102.

Third-party source 120 may be any suitable data source configured toprovide mosaic screen data and interactive applications to contentsource 130 or directly to user equipment 120 via communications paths154 and 152, respectively. Third-party source 120 may include anythird-party application provider, data manager, content manager, contentaggregator, or intermediate content provider. Third-party source 120 mayalso be contracted to provide enhanced blackout support on behalf ofuser equipment 102. For example, third-party source 120 may be connectedto the Internet or other communications network via a network interface(not shown) for communication with external users and systems.Third-party source 120 may access remote data feeds and summaryinformation relating to programs and services accessible via mediasystem 101. Third-party source 120 may also access remote data feeds andsummary information relating to programs and services not accessible viamedia system 101. For example, third-party source 120 may access sportsticker data related to all sporting events, regardless of whether thesporting event is televised. Third-party source 120 may include database122 for storing such feeds and summary information. Although database122 is shown internal to third-party source 120, database 122 may be anystorage device accessible by third-party source 120 and may be externalto third-party source 120.

Database 122 may also store the video mosaic client application itself.Upon receiving a request from user equipment 102, third-party source 120may transmit the video mosaic client application directly to userequipment 102 via communications path 152 (or third-party source 120 maytransmit the video mosaic client application to content source 130 fortransmission to user equipment 120, if desired). In one embodiment,either or both of the video mosaic client application and an associatedinteractive media guidance application are Open able ApplicationsPlatform (“OCAP”) applications downloaded by middleware to userequipment 102. User equipment 102 (or a proxy acting on behalf of theuser equipment) may periodically query third-party source 120 forapplication updates, various third-party content and data feeds, or anyother media content information.

Content source 130 and third-party source 120 may be configured totransmit signals to user equipment 102 over any suitable communicationspaths 150 and 152 including, for example, a satellite path, afiber-optic path, a cable path, or any other suitable wired or wirelesspath. The signals may be transmitted as a broadcast, multicast, unicast,or any other suitable transmission stream. Content source 130 may alsoinclude control circuitry 132 for performing operations on the signalstransmitted by the content source such as, for example, generating newsignals or communicating with user equipment 102 to provide on-demandcontent.

User equipment 102 may receive interactive media guidance applicationdata from one or more instances of data sources 140, content source 130,and/or third-party source 120. Data sources 140 may provide data for aparticular type of content or for a particular application running onuser equipment 102. For example, one data source 142 may provide datafor an interactive television program guide application and another datasource may provide data and content for video mosaic client 106. In someembodiments, data sources 140 may provide data to the applicationsrunning on user equipment 102 using a client-server model. There may beone server per data source, one server for all sources, or, in someembodiments, a single server may communicate as a proxy between userequipment 102 and various data sources 140.

Content source 130, third-party source 120, and data sources 140 areshown in FIG. 1 as separate elements. In practice, their functionalitymay be combined into a single mechanism and provided from a singlesystem at a single facility, or their functionality may be provided bymultiple systems at multiple facilities. For example, content source 130and data source 142 may be combined to provide broadcast televisioncontent and associated broadcast television data, including ratingsinformation, program data, or other suitable information.

User equipment 102 may include any equipment suitable for providing aninteractive media experience and may include all the components andfeatures of user equipment 30 (FIG. 1A). For example, user equipment 102may include computer equipment, such as a personal computer with atelevision card (PCTV). User equipment 102 may also include controlcircuitry 114 (e.g., a set-top box, processor, or hardware controller)to execute the instructions of video mosaic client 106, recording device110, display device 104, user input device 108 (e.g., remote control, akeyboard, a mouse, a touch pad, a touch screen, and/or a voicerecognition/verification module), and any other device suitable forproviding a complete, interactive television experience.

FIG. 2 shows illustrative genre video mosaic display 200 in accordancewith one embodiment of the invention. Display 200 contains four largevideo cells displaying four different news channels or programs infull-motion video. The user may be presented with a different genrevideo mosaic page by selecting the various buttons on the left side ofdisplay screen 200. For example, news genre display 200 may be presentedupon selecting button 202. Similar video mosaic pages may be displayedfor other genres, including sports and kids programming. As shown in theexample of FIG. 2, cell 204 is currently selected. The audio associatedwith cell 204 is currently being played, as indicated by icon 206. Theaudio for the remaining, unselected cell windows may be muted until theuser selects the individual cells.

FIG. 3 shows illustrative VRN homepage 300 in accordance with oneembodiment of the invention. In some embodiments, homepage 300 isaccessible through a particular digital television channel. A user mayalso be presented with homepage 300 after selecting an appropriatebutton on input device 38 (FIG. 1A). For example, a “Home Page” buttonmay provide direct access to homepage 300. In some embodiments, homepage300 may be optionally locked, requiring a valid parental control accesscode input in order to view the page. Homepage 300 may include main cell304, one or more thumbnail cells 302, and option buttons 306. Main cell304 and thumbnail cell 302 may both be VRN cells, capable of displayingfull-motion video. In some embodiments, main cell 304 is approximatelyfour times larger in size than thumbnail cell 302.

Options buttons 306 may include single-selection access to a variety ofcommonly-used features. For example, options buttons 306 may link theuser to the interactive media guidance application, on-demand or digitalvideo recorder (DVR) resources, or permit the user to search foravailable media,

FIG. 4 shows illustrative generic video mosaic display screen 400 inaccordance with the invention. In the example of FIG. 4, screen 400contains eight numbered cells, or windows. Each of these eight cells maybe populated with a different asset or channel. For example, cell 402may include full-motion video from channel 225 Cinemax while cell 403may contain promotional advertising for new VOD movie releases. Each ofthe cells in display 400 may be individually selected using input device38 (FIG. 1A). For example, the user may highlight a cell in display 400using the arrow or cursor keys on a remote control. In the example ofFIG. 4, cell 403 is currently highlighted, as shown by the darkenedborder around the cell. One or more cells may be simultaneouslyselected, if desired. For example, upon pressing an “OK” key on inputdevice 38 (FIG. 1A), the selected status of a cell may toggle on andoff. The user may then select one or more additional cells in the samemanner.

The number, location, size, and shape of the cells in display 400 may bealtered without departing from the spirit of the invention. As describedabove, screen data may be used to define the elements in a video mosaicpage. This data may define more or fewer than eight cells and cells ofdifferent sizes, positions, and shapes than those shown in FIG. 4. Insome embodiments, the properties of the cells in display 400 arecustomizable by the user. For example, video mosaic client 31 (FIG. 1A)may support variable-sized cells, and the user may drag a corner of acell using input device 38 (FIG. 1A) to increase or decrease the size ofthe cell. Similarly, a user may reshape a cell in one or more dimensionsby dragging a cell boundary other than a corner. The video mosaic clientmay also permit cell positions to be altered in real-time while videoassets are playing. For example, a user may drag one or more cells tonew locations or rearrange the placement of the cells to furthercustomize the page.

VRN display screen 400 may also include one or more of vertical optionbuttons 404 and horizontal option buttons 406. These buttons may linkscreen 400 to other VRN screens, the main IMGA screen, or perform anysuitable functionality. For example, one button may select all thenumbered cells in screen 400, while another button may deselect all thenumbered cells in screen 400.

FIG. 5 shows blacked out video windows in video mosaic page 500 inaccordance with one embodiment of the invention. Before displaying eachelement in mosaic page 500, video mosaic client 31 (FIG. 1A) may processscreen data received by distribution facility 21 (FIG. 1A) to determineif any video assets in display 500 should be blacked out. The screendata may include such information as the number of cells in a page, thelocation (e.g., the x and y coordinates) of each cell, the sizes andshapes of each cell, etc. When a user tunes to a broadcast channel orvideo service, such as a PPV or VOD service, the video mosaic client mayfirst determine whether the channel or video stream includes screendata. This determination may be made automatically, or performed onlywhen the channel or stream is identified as a remotely-generated mosaicchannel or stream. If the channel or video stream does not haveassociated screen data, the video mosaic client may continue to monitorthe channel or stream to detect such data if it subsequently becomesavailable. Once screen data becomes available, the data is parsed andthe individual screen elements are identified.

In some embodiments, screen data may not be available for each cell inmosaic page 500. In such embodiments, application data may be used toidentify the content of each cell not associated with screen data. Thevideo mosaic client may then use this identifying information to look upblackout information from a network location or content source (e.g.,content source 12 or 24, both of FIG. 1A). The blackout information mayinclude a set of blackout rules, which may be cached locally to the userequipment in a database or other suitable local storage location. Theblackout information looked up from the network location, contentsource, or database may include any suitable asset information needed todetermine if the asset is currently blacked out by one or moreprogramming blackouts.

In one embodiment, the blackout information associated with a contentsource defines blackout flag structures to define conditions under whichthe content should be blacked out. This may include, for example, one ormore source identifiers (specifying that the content should be blackedout if the specified source is available to user equipment 30), one ormore multicast addresses (MCAs) (specifying that the content should beblacked out if user equipment 30 is included in the multicast set),and/or one or more controller identifiers (specifying that the contentshould be blacked out if user equipment. 30 is controlled by theidentified controller). From this information, video mosaic client 31(FIG. 1A) may determine whether an element in a video mosaic screenshould be blacked out. In order to prevent users from accessing videodata without parsing or processing the associated screen data, variouscontrol mechanisms may be used. For example, the video mosaic pages maybe converted to one or more hidden channels that are not accessible vianormal user equipment operation. Only a VRN application (or anotherapplication that supports screen data processing) may be permitted toaccess the hidden channels. Alternatively or additionally, the screendata may be interleaved with the video stream so that the screen datamust be decoded with the video data. The video content may be encryptedand the decryption key may be only made available to user equipmentdevices that include video mosaic client 31.

When the video mosaic client determines that one or more elements in avideo mosaic page should be blacked out, in some embodiments, the mosaicclient may mask, or gray out, those elements with a graphic, icon, text,or logo. For example, blacked out cell 504 is masked with a gray box and“Blacked Out” label 505. The location of the mask may be determined bythe received screen data. For example, the screen data may define the xand y coordinates of each cell, the cell size, shape, and/or any otherproperty of the cells in display 500. By selecting more information icon506, the user may be linked to more information about the blackout,including the type of blackout, the duration of the blackout, details onthe blacked out media, and any other suitable information.

The screen data or application data may also define control data foreach cell. In some embodiments, to determine whether a cell should beblacked out, the video mosaic client may compare the received blackoutinformation to local variables on the user equipment. For example, thecontrol data itself may include a set of conditionals that, wheninterpreted by the user equipment, cause the video mosaic client toretrieve one or more user equipment variables (e.g., the user's zip codeor channel line-up) and determine whether a blackout applies to theparticular user equipment.

The control data (also referred to herein as action data) may alsodefine actions associated with a user selection of a cell. For example,the control data may instruct the video mosaic client to link the userto a broadcast channel or to order a VOD or PPV asset upon the userselection of a cell. For blacked out cells, the cells associated controldata may be redefined or supplemented by the video mosaic client so thatone or more new actions are defined upon a user selection of a blackedout cell. For example, as shown in display screen (FIG. 8), the controldata may instruct the video mosaic client to present a blackout optionoverlay after the user selection of a blacked out cell. The video mosaicclient may also redefine or supplement the control data so that anyother suitable action occurs upon the user selection of a blacked outcell.

For example, the video mosaic client may override a mosaic templatedefinition by applying a new template to the video mosaic page. The newtemplate definition may globally redefine the action data associatedwith each object in the video mosaic page that is determined to beblacked out on the user equipment. For example, the new template mayoverwrite the existing control data relating to each blacked out objectin the video mosaic page and define a new series of prompts to bedisplayed upon user selection of a blacked out object.

In addition to masking the area of a blacked out cell in display screen500, the video mosaic client may also block the audio associated withany blacked out cell. Blacked out elements in a video mosaic page mayalso be automatically replaced with substitute media. In someembodiments, the media substitution may be performed locally by thevideo mosaic client. In other embodiments, the substitution is performedat a local cable headend or other distribution facility, such asdistribution facility 21 (FIG. 1A). If the substitution is performedbefore reaching the user equipment at a headend or distributionfacility, the facility may utilize hardware, such as videoencoding/decoding circuitry, to remove the blacked out video stream andsubstitute the stream with a replacement video stream. The video mosaicpage may then be re-rendered or recreated, if required, and delivered tothe user equipment. New screen data may also be added to the mosaic pageby the distribution facility to reflect the new replacement content.

If the substitution is performed locally by the video mosaic client,locally-stored video, advertising, and graphics may be used as thereplacement media and presented in the mosaic page. Additionally oralternatively, the video mosaic client may substitute any contentcurrently accessible by the user equipment with the blacked out content.For example, broadcast programs, on-demand programs, PPV programs, ormedia recorded to a local storage device (e.g., recording device 36 ofFIG. 1A) may be presented in a blacked out cell in lieu of blacked outcontent. For example, cell 502 may be a blacked out cell that containsfull-motion replacement media.

The video mosaic client may also replace a blacked out cell in a videomosaic page with summary information. This summary information may berelated or unrelated to the content blacked out in the cell. Summaryinformation may include a sports ticker, as shown in FIG. 9, audio andvideo highlights of the blacked out content (e.g., sports highlights),commentary on the blacked out content, or any other suitable informationabout the blacked out content that does not violate the programmingblackout. For example, some blackout rules may only prevent the livetelecast of an event, such as a sporting event. Video highlights andaudio-only or text-only streams may not violate the blackout, in whichcases this information may be presented in the place of the blacked outcell as summary information.

In some embodiments, blacked out elements in a video mosaic page areremoved from the page before presentation of the page to the user. Thevideo mosaic client may dynamically recreate or re-render the mosaicpage without the blacked out elements, if desired. As shown in FIG. 6,this may create the appearance that the blacked out elements neverexisted. For example, blacked out cell 3 is removed from mosaic screen600 and cells 602 and 604 are now positioned adjacent to one another.Blacked out cell 6 is similarly removed from the page. In addition toremoving the blacked out elements, the video mosaic client may recreatethe page so that the remaining cells are relocated or repositioned. Forexample, the remaining cells may appear centered in mosaic screen 600.In some embodiments, the cell size is also dynamically adjusted tocompensate for the missing cells. For example if four out of eight cellsare blacked out, the four locked cells may be removed from the displayand the size of the remaining four cells may be increased byapproximately 50%. In this way, a user may not be aware of blacked outelements that were dynamically removed in a mosaic page.

If blacked out cells are completely removed from the page, and the pageis re-rendered with a change in position of the remaining cells, thevideo mosaic client may map incoming screen data and control data to thelocation of the new cells. Because the incoming screen data mayincorrectly reflect the old location of the cells, the video mosaicclient may maintain a table of the original cell locations and the newcell locations. In this way, the mosaic client may associate incomingscreen data with the correct cell in the newly rendered page. If theblacked out cells are removed without a change in location of theremaining cells, the video mosaic client may simply ignore or drop anyscreen data received for the removed cells.

FIG. 7 shows illustrative mosaic page 700 with blacked out cells 702 and704. Blacked out cell 704 may be masked with a gray or black overlaywhile blacked out cell 702 may contain replacement media content. Asdescribed above, in some embodiments, the mosaic client may not permitselection of a blacked out cell. In other embodiments, a user mayhighlight or select a blacked out cell in the same manner as any othermosaic cell. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, a user may move a cursorusing input device 38 (FIG. 1A) and select cell 704. Upon selecting cell704, one or more overlays of blackout options may be presented to theuser, as described in more detail below.

FIG. 8 shows illustrative mosaic display 800 in accordance with oneembodiment of the invention. Upon selecting a blacked out cell, such ascell 704 (FIG. 7) options overlay 802 may be presented to the user. Theoverlay may identify the blacked out content in title area 801. Titlearea 801 may include the title, channel, and/or broadcast time of theblacked out content, or any other suitable information. Below title area801 several options may be presented to the user. These options mayinclude view replacement media option 804, search for similar mediaoption 806, purchase tickets option 808, record the blacked out content810, and show summary information option 812.

Upon selecting view replacement media option 804, the user may bepresented with replacement media listed in replacement media selection805. To view more replacement media selections, the user may select moreoption 807. In some embodiments, the user may select replacement mediaselection 805 to be presented with one or more other options forreplacement media. In the case of an affiliate protection blackout, thereplacement media may be the same event as broadcast by thelocally-authorized network. After the user selects view replacementmedia option 804, the replacement media identified by replacement mediaselection 805 may be substituted in the selected blacked out cell. Inother embodiments, upon selecting option 804, the user exits the mosaicapplication and is tuned directly to the selected replacement content infull-screen mode.

If the user wishes to locate other media content similar to the contentin the blacked out cell, the user may select search for similar mediaoption 806. Upon selecting search for similar media option 806 the videomosaic client may access interactive application data, such asinteractive media guidance application content listings, and search thedata for media similar to the media listed in title area 801. Similarcontent may be found, for example, by initiating a title search ofkeywords included in the title listed in title area 801. The videomosaic application may also use other media information, such as actor,director, and genre information (also derived from media guidanceapplication data), in order to construct a search string. In someembodiments, this search string may be presented to the user. The usermay then refine the search string by adding, or removing searchcriteria, as desired. To determine the similarity between media, adistance may be calculated between other media content and the blackedout content. The distance may represent the similarity between themedia. For a description of systems and methods that determine thesimilarity between media content using distances, see U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/324,147, filed Dec. 29, 2005, which is herebyincorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The results of thesimilar media search may be presented to the user in one or more displayscreens or overlays (not shown).

In some embodiments, to locate other content for a media search, videomosaic client 31 (FIG. 1A) may interface with the media guidanceapplication database resident on the user equipment 30 (FIG. 1A). Thisdatabase may contain, for example, content listing information,including channel/source information, start and stop times, and detailedprogram information. The database may hold data relating to programs andcontent currently accessible by the user equipment as well as programsand content that will be accessible in the near future (e.g., within thenext 5 days). The video mosaic client may interface with this databasethrough a series of API function calls. The function calls may supportdatabase searches, database additions, and database deletions. The APIfunction calls may also return program and content information to thevideo mosaic client for display in an overlay or object in a videomosaic page. In some embodiments, the list of similar media content maybe transmitted as part of the VRN screen data.

The user may also purchase tickets by selecting option 808 in overlay802. This option may link the user to one or more display screens oroverlays containing a detailed description of the blacked out content,the length and reason for the blackout, and any other suitableinformation. In the example of FIG. 8, option 808 provides the user anopportunity to purchase tickets to a blacked out sporting event listedin title area 801 or other future events related to the blacked outevent. In the example of FIG. 8, the blacked out event may be a livebaseball game, such as the Boston Red Sox at the New York Yankees. Uponselecting option 808 to purchase tickets, tickets to future Boston RedSox or New York Yankees games may be purchased. For example, the usermay be linked directly to a ticket distribution website for purchasingtickets. Additionally or alternatively, the user may be directed to anonline auction website for placing a bid on tickets. The control datamay include the URL of the website or websites. The URL contained in thecontrol data may additionally include filter criteria to narrow theuser's search for tickets and facilitate navigation. For example, theURL may include “www.tickets.com/sports/baseball/,” which may bring theuser to a ticket distribution website, defaulting at the baseball ticketpage. Tickets for other events and performances may also be purchasedvia option 808.

The user may also select to record the blacked out content by selectingrecord option 810. After selecting record option 810, the blacked outcontent may be recorded to a local recording or storage device, such asrecording device 36 (FIG. 1A). Alternatively, the blacked out contentmay be recorded to or made available on a remote storage device, such asa storage device in distribution facility 21 (FIG. 1A) or centralfacility 10 (FIG. 1A). In some embodiments, if the blacked out contentwill be available remotely (e.g., via an on-demand service), the contentis not recorded locally, but rather accessed from the remote locationafter the blackout is lifted. If the user selects to record blacked outcontent after the content has started, the missing portion of thecontent may be immediately transmitted to the user's equipment so thatthe user's equipment contains a complete copy of the blacked outcontent. For example, a network server (e.g., an on-demand server) maybuffer or record all video mosaic content until the content fullybroadcast. In the event that a user selects to record blacked outcontent, the user equipment may access the complete version of theblacked out content (or any portion thereof) in order to make thecomplete asset available to the user at the conclusion of the blackout.The complete version of the asset may be available locally or from aremote server.

FIG. 9 shows illustrative mosaic display screen 900 with a summaryinformation cell. Display screen 900 may be similar to display screen700 except that cell 904 may display summary information instead of ablacked out cell. Cell 902 may also display summary information orreplacement media. The summary information displayed in cell 904 and/or902 may include video highlights, audio or video commentary, an RSS datafeed (or other suitable feed), or any other suitable information aboutthe blacked out content. In the example of FIG. 9, cell 904 correspondsto a blacked out baseball game and shows summary information in the formof sports ticker 906. Sports ticker 906 may include any suitableinformation relating to the blacked out game, including the currentscore, inning, hits, and error information (or other information relatedto the particular sport of the blacked out content). Ticker 906 may alsoinclude play-by-play information in the form of a scrolling text field.

By selecting more information icon 908, the user may be presented withmore details on the blackout and the blacked out media asset. Forexample, the type of blackout and its duration may be presented in anoverlay (not shown) after the user selects more information icon 908.Icon area 910 may include an icon indicating that the blacked out mediais currently being recorded. The user may select the record icon in iconarea 910 to pause or start the recording, if desired. The user may alsopress the play icon in icon area 910 to start watching the recordedasset, if permitted by the blackout. In some embodiments, the play iconmay automatically appear in icon area 910 after the blackout window hasexpired, permitting the user to watch the previously blacked outcontent.

FIG. 10 shows illustrative blackout notification display screen 1000.Screen 1000 includes notification overlay 1002, which may be displayedafter a blackout has expired, after the blacked out content is recordedlocally or remotely, or both after the blackout has expired and theblacked out content has been recorded. Notification overlay 1002 mayinclude information 1004, which may inform the user that one or moreblackouts have been lifted. Information 1004 may also identify the typeof blackout (e.g., a venue protection blackout). Below information 1004,the name of the previously blacked out content is displayed. A user mayselect any content in the list, such as content selection 1006, toimmediately watch the previously blacked out content. If the content isnot stored locally, the content may be accessed from a remote locationusing an on-demand service. In this way, the user is able to watch theblacked out content as soon as the content is no longer blacked out.

FIG. 11 shows illustrative video mosaic blackout options display screen1100. The options presented in display screen 1100 may affect the layoutof all mosaic screens presented on the user's equipment or a subset ofspecific mosaic screens. For example, the settings shown in FIG. 11 mayapply to a single user and only affect personalized mosaic pages likehomepage 300, but not general mosaic pages displayed to all users ofuser equipment 30 (FIG. 1A). In other embodiments, the settings shown inFIG. 11 may apply to all mosaic screen presented on the user equipment.

The settings in display screen 1100 may control what content ispresented in blacked out mosaic cells and, optionally, what actions areautomatically taken when the mosaic client determines a mosaic cellshould be blacked out. The actions listed in action column 1106 mayinclude such actions as “show ticker,” which presents a sports ticker ofsummary information in place of the blacked out content in a mosaiccell. Other actions may include “automatically record,” which instructsthe mosaic client to automatically record content that is determined tobe blacked out to the user equipment 30 (FIG. 1A) or a remote location(e.g., distribution facility 21 or central facility 10 (both of FIG.1A). As described above, a record instruction may record the entireasset, including any portion of the asset that was already broadcast. Aserver (e.g., an on-demand server) within system 100 (FIG. 1A) maybuffer or cache all content presented in a mosaic page. In someembodiments, the content is automatically deleted from the server afterthe completion of the broadcast. For example, the server may remove asporting event saved to the server after the event has completed and isno longer being presented in a mosaic page. In other embodiments, theserver may maintain copies of the event after the event has ended. Thesecopies may be made available to users via, for example, on-demand orpay-per-view services.

As shown in the example of FIG. 11, some illustrative mosaic blackoutoptions may include performing a specified action for the one or moreselected sports teams listed in team row 1102. A user may select one ormore of the user's favorite teams in team selection 1104, or the usermay choose one of the predetermined collections of teams (e.g., “alllocal teams”). To add a new team, the user may select new team option1108. The user may then specify a designated action to associate withthe teams selected in team selection 1104. For example, a sports tickermay be displayed in the place of the blacked out cell if the blacked outcell is presenting a blacked out sporting event with one of the selectedteams, as shown in FIG. 9. This way, the user may still be presentedwith some summary information about the game even though the game isblacked out on the user's equipment. Other actions may include “showhighlights,” “present audio only,” “show commentary,” “show replacementmedia,” “automatically record,” any other suitable action that is not inviolation of the blackout, or any combination thereof.

In addition to selecting one or more teams, the user may also select oneor more genres to associate with an action. In the example of FIG. 11,the user has selected the sports, news, and feature movie genres ingenre area 1110. To add another genre, the user may select new genreoption 1112. Regardless of whether a team, genre, or other category isselected, video mosaic client 31 (FIG. 1A) may receive incomingapplication or program schedule data and compare the incoming data tothe user's selections in display screen 1100. For example, as describedbelow, each mosaic page may be associated with screen data that definesthe individual cell elements of the page. Using this screen data, themosaic client may identify the content presented in each cell (or thecontent not presented because of a blackout). The mosaic client may thenaccess application or program schedule data from an application orprogram schedule database on user equipment 30 (FIG. 1A). This programschedule database may include extended asset information, such as genre,title, author, director, rating, and actor information about the contentdisplayed in the mosaic cells. A comparison of this data with the user'sselections in display screen 1100 may enable the mosaic client toautomatically take the appropriate action when content matching one ormore of the user's selections are presented in a mosaic page.

The user may use input device 38 (FIG. 1A) to move a cursor arounddisplay screen 1100 and make the desired selections. In order to savethe settings displayed in display screen 1100, the user may selectaccept changes button 1114. After selecting accept changes button 1114,a profile may be created (or updated) for the user or for all users ofthe user equipment. This profile may contain the user's blackout optionsand desired actions. To discard the changes made in display screen 1100,the user may select cancel button 1116.

In general, the video mosaic client needs only some identification ofthe source of the objects being presented in a video mosaic page and aset of blackout rules to effectively blackout mosaic objects. However,because blackouts are often time-based, maintaining a complete set ofblackout rules on the user equipment may require frequent updates and alarge amount of bandwidth. Therefore, in some embodiments, a blackoutflag structure is used that approximates the blackout rules. Anillustrative blackout flag structure is detailed in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/395,380. For example, blackout rules forNational Football League games may require that any broadcaster that hasa signal that reaches within a 75-mile radius of an NFL stadium blackoutall games at the stadium that are not sold out 72 hours or more beforethe start of the game. Other, more complex blackout rules may alsoapply. By using the blackout flag structure, the video mosaic client canestimate these complex rules and enforce the programming blackout.

FIG. 12 shows illustrative display screen 1200 for presentingfull-screen summary information to a user. Although the priorembodiments described enhanced blackout support for video mosaic screensand pages, the features and functionality of the present invention mayalso be applied to full-screen programming, including programmingavailable via television channels. For example, a user may access achannel that is currently showing blacked out content. The interactivemedia guanidine application may determine which channels are currentlyshowing blacked out content from media guidance application dataassociated with the requested channel. With typical systems, a black orblank screen might be displayed to the user after the user switches to atelevision channel showing blacked out content. The blank or blackscreen may be displayed because the actual channel content was removedat a cable headend or other distribution facility (e.g., distributionfacility 21 of FIG. 1A) before being delivered to the user equipment.

In some embodiments, an interactive media guidance application maymonitor user channel access requests. After a channel is requested thatis showing blacked out content, the interactive application may accesssupplemental content, including summary information, from one or morereal-time data feeds. For example, the summary information may betransmitted in-band or out-of-band from central facility 10 ordistribution facility 21 to user equipment 30 (FIG. 1). In someembodiments, this summary information may be transmitted to the userequipment using some or all of the bandwidth allocated for the channelshowing the blacked out content.

As shown in the example of FIG. 12, the user has accessed the NESNchannel to watch the Boston Red Sox at NY Yankees baseball game. Flipbanner 1212 may display the name of the content, a short description, orany other suitable information of potential interest to the user. Flipbanner 1212 may also display an indication that the content is currentlyblacked out. For example an icon or alert message may be displayed. Asshown in flip banner 1212, an indication that the channel is blacked outas well as the blackout type (e.g., bandwidth blackout, venue protectionblackout, or affiliate blackout) are displayed after the title of theblacked out content at label 1208. More information icon 1210 indicatesto the user that additional information about the blackout is available.By pressing an “Information” button on an available input device (e.g.,input device 38 of FIG. 1), one or more additional screens ofinformation about the blackout (e.g., indicating the blackout duration,the reason for the blackout, etc.) may be displayed. This additionalinformation may also include links substitute programming of interestand other replacement content (e.g., other baseball games that are notcurrently blacked out).

Icon 1206 may indicate to the user that the blacked out content is beingrecorded locally (or on a remote location) and will be made available assoon as the blackout expires. For example, the blacked out content maybe accessed and recorded locally to the user equipment via an on-demandservice. As another example, the blacked out content may be madeavailable on a network media server accessible by the user equipment forimmediate playback after the blackout expires. If the blacked outcontent is stored locally at the user equipment device, the interactivemedia guidance application or the video mosaic client may enforce accessrestrictions on the locally recorded content so that the content is notaccessed or displayed in violation of the blackout.

In lieu of displaying a black or blank screen when the user requests achannel showing blacked out content, a screen of summary informationabout the blacked out content may be displayed. This summary informationmay provide detailed, real-time information about the blacked outcontent. For example, if the blacked out content is a sporting event,sports ticker 1202 may be displayed. This ticker may be similar toticker 904 (FIG. 9). The data for the ticker may be received from one ormore real-time data feeds, or the data may be transmitted in the samebandwidth that was reserved for the requested channel showing theblacked out content. In addition to showing summary information,detailed play-by-play information may also be provided in area 1204.Associated audio (e.g., a voice over stream) may also be associated withthe detailed play-by-play textual information, if such content is not inviolation of the blackout. Title 1203 may indicate the name and/or venueof the blacked out content.

The information shown in display screen 1200 may be displayed in anumber of ways. In some embodiments, an overlay may be generated by theinteractive media guidance application (or video mosaic client) thatreplaces all or a portion of the requested channel output (i.e., theblank or black screen). The overlay could be a transparent overlay thatis overlaid directly on top of the blacked out content. In otherembodiments, a replacement video stream is transmitted to the userequipment on the channel showing the blacked out content. For example,display screen 1200 may be transmitted in place of the blacked outcontent so that the screen may be presented as if it were a typicalchannel output display. In some embodiments, this replacement stream maybe transmitted to the user equipment over the same bandwidth reservedfor the channel showing the blacked out content. In this way, the usermay be provided with detailed (and real-time) summary information aboutthe blacked out content instead of a blank or black screen.

FIGS. 13-16 show illustrative process 1300 for presenting a video mosaicpage. At step 1302, a request is received for a video mosaic page. Forexample, the user may press a “Home Page” button on input device 38(FIG. 1A) to be presented with mosaic homepage 400 (FIG. 4). At step1204, video mosaic client 31 (FIG. 1A) may determine if screen data isavailable for all the mosaic cells in the requested page. As describedabove, some mosaic pages may not include screen data, or some pages mayinclude screen data for less than all of the cells in the page. Anexample of a mosaic page that may not be associated with screen data isa locally-generated page.

If screen data is available at step 1304, the screen data may beprocessed at step 1308. For example, video mosaic client 31 (FIG. 1A)may receive and parse the screen data for blackout flags at step 1312.The screen data may be received in-band with the mosaic page orout-of-band. If screen data is not available at step 1304, applicationdata may be read at step 1306. For example, application data source 40(FIG. 1A) may provide application data specifically for mosaic pages. Insome embodiments, the application data may include media guidanceapplication data used by an interactive media guidance applicationresident on the user equipment. The application data may be used toidentify the source of the content in each cell of the requested mosaicpage. Then at step 1310, the application data is compared to a set ofblackout rules. The blackout rules may be stored locally on userequipment 30 (FIG. 1A) or at a remote location (e.g., central facility10 or distribution tactility 20, both of FIG. 1A). From the screen dataor application data, the source of each video asset in the mosaic pagemay be determined at step 1313. For example, the screen data may includesource identifiers that identify each cell in the mosaic page.Additionally or alternatively, metadata flags may be defined in theapplication data and associated with the cells in the mosaic page. Fromthe blackout flags or the blackout rules, video mosaic client 31 (FIG.1A) may determine if any cells in the requested mosaic page are to beblacked out at step 1314. For example, as described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/324,147, blackout flags may include blackoutsource identifiers, blackout channel identifiers, blackout networkaddresses, and blackout controller identifiers that are used todetermine if the cell should be blacked out. If the mosaic clientdetermines that no cells should be blacked out at step 1314, the mosaicpage may be displayed to the user at step 1316.

If, at step 1314, the mosaic client determines that at least one cellshould be blacked out, the process may continue in FIG. 14. At step1402, the mosaic client may determine if the first cell on the pageshould be blacked out. If the cell should not be blacked out, it may bedisplayed at step 1404. For the cells that should be blacked out, mosaicclient 31 (FIG. 1A) may mask the cells at step 1406. For example, cell504 (FIG. 5) shows a gray overlay over a blacked out cell. In addition,the cell's audio may be blocked. The mosaic client may then access theuser's profile (or the system profile if only one profile exists on theuser equipment) at step 1408. As described above with regard to FIG. 11,this profile may include the user's blackout preferences. At step 1410,the mosaic client may determine, from the user profile, if any assetsthat are blacked out in the mosaic page should be recorded. If one ormore assets should be recorded, the illustrative process may continue inFIG. 15.

If it is determined that the user does not wish to record the blackedout content at step 1410, at step 1412 the mosaic client may determineif the user has selected to display summary information in place of theblacked out cell. For example, the user may select to show a sportsticker, video highlights, or some other information about the blackedout content using blackout options display screen 1100 (FIG. 11). Thissummary information may not violate the terms of the blackout. Ifsummary information is selected to be displayed, the illustrativeprocess may continue in FIG. 16.

Referring now to FIG. 15, at step 1502, video mosaic client 31 (FIG. 1A)may determine if the blacked out content to be recorded is available inthe transmitted page. For example, remotely-generated mosaics may havethe video sources composited remote from the user equipment. As such,the same composited source may be transmitted to all users requestingthe mosaic page, regardless of blackout conditions. If the content isactually transmitted with the page, the source corresponding to theblacked out content to be recorded may be identified and cached locallyat step 1504. Any portion of the content that was transmitted prior tothe start of recording may be accessed from a network cache at step1512. In this way, the user may be provided with the entire blacked outcontent. At step 1514 the content may be saved to a user recordingdevice. For example, the locally cached content and any missing portionsmay be combined and saved to recording device 36 (FIG. 1A).

If the content itself is not transmitted with the page, at step 1508 themosaic client may verify the network availability of the content. Forexample, the blacked out content may be made available via an on-demandservice or the content may be stored on a network media server. Themosaic client may then request the content, and the blacked out contentmay then be transferred to the local user equipment and saved to a userrecording device, such as recording device 36 (FIG. 1A). In someembodiments, if a network copy of the content is available (or will beavailable after the blackout expires), the content may not be recordedlocally, but rather it may be made available to the user via anon-demand service when and if the user requests the content. In this waymultiple users may share a single copy of the blacked out content,thereby reducing network bandwidth.

At step 1516, the mosaic client may determine the status of theblackout. For example, screen data may be time-synchronized. The mosaicclient may process new screen data as it arrives or process screen dataperiodically (e.g., every 3 seconds). The mosaic client may alsore-evaluate the blackout rules to see if the blackout has since expired.At step 1518, if the blackout condition has been lifted, a notificationmay be presented to the user at step 1520. For example, overlay 1002 maybe presented to the user. The notification may inform the user that theblackout has expired. The notification may also inform the user that thepreviously blacked out content is now available for viewing—either froma network location or locally. The notification may include a visualand/or audible alert. Such a visual alert may appear in icon area 910(FIG. 9). Additionally or alternatively, a remote notification may bedelivered to one or more of the user's remote user equipment devices(e.g., cellular telephone, PDA, or mobile computing device). Forexample, an email message, fax, telephone call, SMS message, or anyother suitable wired or wireless message may be transmitted to a remoteuser indicating that the blackout period has expired and/or theavailability of recorded blacked out content. The remote notificationmay also take the form of an overlay or other visual indicator on aremote user equipment device that the user is logged onto. Centralfacility 10 (FIG. 1A) may maintain a record of user logins and remoteuser addresses (e.g., telephone numbers, email addresses, and networkaddresses). This record of user logins and addresses may be used todetermine which user equipment device any given user is currentlyaccessing. The remote notification may be transmitted directly from userequipment 30 (FIG. 1A) over the Internet or other communicationsnetwork, or may be sent first to distribution facility 21 over path 28(FIG. 1A). Distribution facility 21 may then relay the notification tothe remote user over any available communications network. At step 1522,the user is then allowed to access the previously blacked out content.After the process shown in FIG. 15 is complete (or at any point duringthe process shown in FIG. 15), in some embodiments, the process (or aseparate process) may resume at step 1412 (FIG. 14) to determine if theuser would like to display summary information in addition to recordingthe blacked out content. These two processes may branch and executesimultaneously so that, for example, one thread of the video mosaicclient application determines if the blacked out content should berecorded, and another thread of the video mosaic client applicationdetermines if summary information should be additionally oralternatively displayed.

Referring now to FIG. 16, if the user requests to view summaryinformation in the cell that the blacked out content would be displayedin, at step 1602 the mosaic client may determine if screen data isavailable for the blacked out cell. If screen data is available, at step1606 the screen data may be processed. If screen data is not available,application data (e.g., from application data source 40 (FIG. 1A)) maybe read at step 1604. As described above, in some embodiments, thesummary information itself is inserted into the screen data orapplication data. In other embodiments, links to the summary informationmay be included in the screen data or application data. If at step 1612,the mosaic client determines that the application data includes anetwork link, or if at step 1608 the screen data includes a networklink, the summary information may be accessed at step 1610 by followingthe link. For example, links to supplemental network data or videofeeds, RSS feeds, or any other information or video stream may beincluded in the screen data or application data. Otherwise, the summaryinformation may be accessed directly from the screen data at step 1616or the application data at step 1614. In some embodiments, a singlemosaic page may include both summary information within the screen dataor application data and links to summary information. Typically, thedecision to include a link or the actually summary data in the screen orapplication data may be dictated by the size of the summary information,available bandwidth, speed of connection, and other networkconsiderations. Finally, at step 1618 the summary information ispresented to the user in the position of the blacked out cell.

In some embodiments, more than one type of summary information may beprovided for each blacked out cell. For example, sports ticker data,commentary videos, and highlight videos may all be included in thescreen data or application data (or links to such types of summaryinformation). In these embodiments, the user may select which type ofsummary information to display. The user may also change which type ofsummary information is currently displayed in the blacked out cell byscrolling through the available summary information types. For example,the user may press a left or right arrow key on input device 38 (FIG.1A) while a blacked out cell is selected to be presented with othertypes of summary information.

In practice, one or more steps shown in process 1300 may be combinedwith other steps, performed in any suitable order, performed in parallel(e.g., simultaneously or substantially simultaneously) or removed.

The above described embodiments of the present invention are presentedfor purposes of illustration and not of limitation, and the presentinvention is limited only by the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for providing enhanced blackout support,the method comprising: receiving, via a communication interface, arequest from a user to access a media asset from a video mosaic screencomprising a plurality of media assets; in response to determining thatthe requested media asset is subject to the blackout on the userequipment device, generating for display a first option to record therequested media asset for later access; in response to receiving aselection of the first option to record from a user: recording a firstportion of the requested media asset from a time when the selection isreceived; receiving, from a server, a second portion of the requestedmedia asset that has been transmitted prior to the time when theselection is received; determining that the media asset is no longersubject to the blackout on the user equipment device; determining thatthe media asset is available for viewing; and in response to determiningthat the media asset is no longer subject to the blackout on the userequipment device and that the media asset is available for viewing,notifying the user that the media asset is no longer subject to theblackout on the user equipment device and that the media asset isavailable for viewing.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: inresponse to receiving a selection of the option from a user: withoutfurther user input, automatically constructing a search string forsubstitute media assets related to the media asset; and generating fordisplay links to the substitute media assets available for playback inplace of the media asset based on the search string.
 3. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: receiving a request from the user to accessthe media asset; and in response to receiving the request from the userto access the media asset, generating for display the media asset. 4.The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request from the user toaccess the media asset comprises receiving the request from the user toaccess the media asset with a mobile user equipment device that isdifferent from the user equipment device.
 5. The method of claim 1,further comprising retrieving the media asset from an on-demand service.6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: notifying the user thatthe media asset is available for viewing by transmitting a wirelessmessage to the user.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprisingassociating a media asset genre with an action to perform for mediaassets matching the media asset genre when the media assets matching themedia asset genre are blacked out.
 8. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising providing an option to the user to purchase tickets for anevent related to the media asset.
 9. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: in response to determining that the media asset is subjectto the blackout, presenting at least one of audio- and text-only streamsin place of the media asset.
 10. A system for providing enhancedblackout support, the system comprising: a communication interfaceconfigured to receive a request from a user to access a media asset froma video mosaic screen comprising a plurality of media assets; displaycircuitry configured to: in response to determining that the requestedmedia asset is subject to the blackout on the user equipment device,generate for display a first option to record the requested media assetfor later access; processing circuitry configured to: in response toreceiving a selection of the first option to record from a user: recorda first portion of the requested media asset from a time when theselection is received; receive, from a server, a second portion of therequested media asset that has been transmitted prior to the time whenthe selection is received; determine that the media asset is no longersubject to the blackout on the user equipment device; determine that themedia asset is available for viewing; and in response to determiningthat the media asset is no longer subject to the blackout on the userequipment device and that the media asset is available for viewing,notify the user that the media asset is no longer subject to theblackout on the user equipment device and that the media asset isavailable for viewing.
 11. The system of claim 10, wherein theprocessing circuitry is further configured to: in response to receivinga selection of the option from a user: without further user input,automatically construct a search string for substitute media assetsrelated to the media asset; and generate for display links to thesubstitute media assets available for playback in place of the mediaasset based on the search string.
 12. The system of claim 10, whereinthe processing circuitry is further configured to: receive a requestfrom the user to access the media asset; and in response to receivingthe request from the user to access the media asset, generate fordisplay the media asset.
 13. The system of claim 10, wherein theprocessing circuitry is further configured, when receiving the requestfrom the user to access the media asset, to receive the request from theuser to access the media asset with a mobile user equipment device thatis different from the user equipment device.
 14. The system of claim 10,wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to retrieve themedia asset from an on-demand service.
 15. The system of claim 10,wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: notify theuser that the media asset is available for viewing by transmitting awireless message to the user.
 16. The system of claim 10, wherein theprocessing circuitry is further configured to associate a media assetgenre with an action to perform for media assets matching the mediaasset genre when the media assets matching the media asset genre areblacked out.
 17. The system of claim 10, wherein the processingcircuitry is further configured to provide an option to the user topurchase tickets for an event related to the media asset.
 18. The systemof claim 10, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:in response to determining that the media asset is subject to theblackout, present at least one of audio- and text-only streams in placeof the media asset.